SB Nation - Deon Anderson

Cowboys @ Redskins Injury Update

Aaron Novinger — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 04:07:22 -0000

More photos » by Sharon Ellman - AP

Martellus Bennett has missed the last two games, but will be ready to roll into FedEx Field to battle the Redskins.

Fortunately, the Cowboys will have TE Martellus Bennett back because Deon Anderson has been out this week with strep throat. Bennett's presence allows the team to use John Phillips at fullback.

Tight end Martellus Bennett (concussion), safety Ken Hamlin (ankle), cornerback Terence Newman (knee), safety Gerald Sensabaugh (thumb) and linebacker DeMarcus Ware (wrist/neck) took part in a full practice.

Make the jump for the rest of the injury report.

RT Marc Colombo and SS Pat Watkins must be super fast healers. It's possible both could be available for the Week 17 game vs. Philly.

Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips hasn't ruled out starting right tackle Marc Colombo (ankle/leg) or safety Pat Watkins (knee) for the Jan. 3 finale against the Eagles.

"It's going to be close," Phillips said.

Here's how the Redskins' injury report shapes up:

Devin Thomas, WR - No Practice (Ankle)

Andre Carter, DE - Limited Practice (Biceps)

Cornelius Griffin, DT - Limited Practice (Shoulder)

Anthony Montgomery, DT - Limited Practice (Hip)

Stephon Heyer, OT - Full Practice (Knee)

DeAngelo Hall, CB - Full Practice (Knee)

QB Jason Campbell has a left shoulder stinger but will start.

Enough of this injury stuff. Time to get down to serious business. The Cowboys and Redskins are bitter rivals; yet, the question remains: Which team has the hotter cheerleaders?

Pro Bowl voting has come to an end for the fans. DeMarcus Ware received the most votes for OLBs, which is great. The other Cowboys didn't fare too well, though. Here's how they finished.

Sam Hurd finished second at the special teams position with 132,137 votes.

Miles Austin finished third at wide receiver with 454,616 votes. Fullback Deon Anderson (91,472) also finished third at his spot.

Tight end Jason Witten (334,105), center Andre Gurode (206,802), left tackle Flozell Adams (180,818) and punter Mat McBriar (118,945) finished fourth in at their respective positions.

Strong safety Gerald Sensabaugh (91,268), free safety Ken Hamlin (64,476) and inside linebacker Keith Brooking (105,269) finished fifth at their respective positions.

The players and coaches finish their voting this week. Teams will be announced on Tuesday.

Cowboys @ Saints Injury Update

Aaron Novinger — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 19:04:05 -0000

DeMarcus Ware's status for tomorrow night's game against the Saints is still uncertain. He looks like a game-time decision. Both he and FS Ken Hamlin are listed as questionable.

Jerry Jones on Ware:

"The good news is that, aside from his soreness, he certainly does physically have the ability to play," Jones said. "We'll just determine that as to how he’s feeling at game time."

Wade Phillips had hoped that Ware's status would be determine before the Cowboys left for New Orleans. That didn't happen. Ware is listed as questionable for Saturday night's game against the Saints.

Make the jump for the rest of the injury report.

DC.com on Hamlin:

Hamlin had limited participation all week in his return from a high ankle sprain. Though questionable, head coach Wade Phillips has seemed confident Hamlin would play for the first time since Nov. 15. Alan Ball has been starting in his place.

Strong safety and the Cowboys' leader in special teams tackles, Pat Watkins, is out with his sprained knee. He is not expected to be back during the regular season.

FB Deon Anderson, probable, did not go at today's walkthrough practice due to illness, but he is expected to play.

TE Martellus Bennett (concussion) has returned to practicing a full basis, but is not eligible to play until next week. He will be out against the Saints.

CB Terence Newman (knee) and SS Gerald Sensabaugh (thumb) are also still listed on the injury report, but are fine and will continue to start.

As for the Saints' injuries:

DT Sedrick Ellis (knee) looks like a game-time decision for now; he has missed two days of practice this week.

CB Jabari Greer (groin) will be out.

K Garrett Hartley (hip), OT Jon Stinchcomb (knee), TE Jeremy Shockey (toe), and DE Bobby McCrary (back) all returned to practice yesterday and are expected to assume their normal roles.

Here are the rest of their injured:

Receiver Lance Moore (ankle, hamstring) and tailback Mike Bell (knee) practiced fully.

Ten other players were limited -- tailback Pierre Thomas (hip), guard Jahri Evans (foot), guard Carl Nicks (back), offensive tackle Jermon Bushrod (thumb), center Jonathan Goodwin (ankle), cornerback Tracy Porter (knee), safety Usama Young (hip), linebacker Jonathan Vilma (knee), linebacker Scott Fujita (knee) and linebacker Marvin Mitchell (hamstring).

The VRR: Cowboys Hope to Tell the Saints it Ain't Happening

Aaron Novinger — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 15:21:53 -0000

More photos » by Sean Gardner - AP

Could it be a scary night for the Cowboys in the Louisiana Superdome? Not if they play like a playoff team.

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Dome, dome, dome, dome...

When the Cowboys travel to the Superdome to face those undefeated Saints, who have the number one offense in the league with the number one QB in the conference, they must go in thinking two words: "UP" and "SET".

The home loss against San Diego last week was a heartbreaker, but Dallas now has this one last chance to play up to the level of one of the league's top teams - the elite team in the NFC, in fact. A win can do wonders, but it won't be easy. The dome teams are doing quite well this season.

This year, three indoor teams have either secured homefield advantage for at least one game or are on the verge of doing so. The Colts, Saints and Vikings should soon consume both two No. 1 seeds and the NFC's No. 2, respectively.

Times may have changed but it remains to be seen if these teams aren't haunted by their indoors postseason history. The Colts are 4-3 in home playoff games, the Saints are 2-3 in the Superdome in the postseason, and the Vikings are just over .500 (5-4) in the Metrodome come playoff time.

This season, the three teams are a combined 37-2 overall and own a perfect 20-0 inside their domes.

More VRR after the jump.

Sure, they face an undeated team. But the Cowboys are also trying to prevent a three-game losing streak. Just win, baby!

Snapping out of this skid will be tough. Dallas is headed to New Orleans for a Saturday night game against the undefeated Saints and a Superdome crowd that's sure to be, uh, boisterous. The Cowboys could lose that game and still get in the playoffs. But a third straight defeat would clinch a 13th straight December without a winning record and would leave them ripe for a knockout.

"We're not down, we're not out,'' receiver Roy Williams said Tuesday. "We're still going to play. Got a tough week this week and a bunch of naysayers around the country, but in this room, we know what we can do.''

A victory could be the springboard they need. A 3-0 finish is the only way the Cowboys are guaranteed to salvage the division title.

Like the great competitor he is, DeMarcus Ware wants to play despite soreness in his neck.

"Just taking it day-by-day and go from there," Ware said before practice on Tuesday morning. "Neck is a little sore right now so you have to be cautious with that. But at the end of the day, treating it and trying to get ready for this week."

[snip]

Ware said the injury scared him, but will do whatever the doctors say before getting back on the field. "It's really important," he said about listening to the doctors.

"Since not only are you talking about the team standpoint of being able to go out there and make plays and try to win a game this week. But also you got to think about the player's health. He can go out there and he might get paralyzed, hurt himself even more. Which one is more important: longevity or right now."

If DWare can't go, it will be interesting to see how well rookie Victor Butler handles his first starting gig in the pros.

"With D-Ware, you lose a leader," said the 22-year-old linebacker. "Not only a verbal leader, but he leads by example. With a guy like that out, you just have to step up everywhere. Special teams have to step up, individual guys have to step up to make the team better — myself, Steve Octavien. Guys have to step up and elevate your level of play."

While Martellus Bennett (concussion) will miss another game, Ken Hamlin has returned to practice and should get the start in New Orlearns.

Phillips said he believes Hamlin, who calls the defensive signals, will help the Cowboys make adjustments against the Saints' complicated offense. However, Phillips acknowledged that it could be difficult for a safety missing a month to return against the NFL's top-ranked offense.

"I don't think he'll make any mental mistakes back there," Phillips said. "Physically, how quickly he'll react to things and get back in the swing of it, I don't know for sure. I think he will, but he may be a little rusty."

The Saints' RB/PR/WR, Reggie Bush, could give the Cowboys headaches if they're not ready for his unique skill set.

The Saints may be targeting the nickel linebacker or the nickel cornerback. So Bobby Carpenter and Orlando Scandrick must be ready to chase the former Heisman Trophy winner in pass coverage. On first downs, when the Cowboys are in their conventional 3-4 defense, the Saints may decide it's a safety's turn to cover Bush. So Ken Hamlin or Alan Ball may wear the bull's-eye.

If the Cowboys go light Saturday night and lean on their nickel and dime packages out of respect for the NFL's third-ranked passing attack, the Saints may opt to hand the ball to Bush. Few are better in the open spaces a spread formation creates. Bush rushed for 83 yards on six carries against the Rams.

Against the high-scoring Saints, the Dallas offense needs to make plays to stay competitive. Other than Miles Austin, Felix Jones is a player who can score from any point on the field. But that doesn't mean the Cowboys will use him more than Marion Barber.

The Barber of September is better than the others but not the Barber who is in the midst of another three-month slide. A year ago, Barber ran for 311 yards with 4.4 yards per carry in the first four games and 574 yards with 3.4 yards per carry for the remainder of the season.

He is on the same path this season and has been at the center of costly plays in each of the last two games: a lost fumble late in the first half of the loss at the Giants and failing to score on three tries from the 1-yard line in Sunday's loss to San Diego.

Jones is going in the other direction, averaging five yards over his last 36 carries. He has the big-play capability that the pedestrian Barber lacks. The Cowboys have been reluctant to use Jones for more than about 10 carries per game out of concern he will break down.

Nah, there won't be much difference in the backfield. Look for the Cowboys to try to control the ball some with Barber. Yes, they need points, but they also need to keep Brees and the offense off the field.

Phillips was asked if he's considered reshuffling his running back rotation in an attempt to spark the team. Starter Marion Barber failed to get in the end zone against the Chargers despite three carries from the 1-yard line in the second quarter.

"Marion ran the ball really hard and really well except we didn't get him in on the goal line," said Phillips, who essentially blamed that failure on the offensive line. "Those plays down there dropped his average (to 3.4 yards per carry) or he would've had a big average... I don't know that that's really the answer."

Nick Folk's recent failures have David Buehler thinking about his long-term career goals.

"Eventually, to have longevity in this league, I need to be able to kick field goals," Buehler said. "I'm not going to be a kickoff specialist my whole career. So I need to fine-tune that and be able to be a reliable field-goal kicker."

Buehler said he's been kicking a few field goals in practice, but not many and not as seriously as he needs to now.

"Most of all, it's mental," he said. "I mean, going out there and getting back into that rhythm and doing the consistent motion every single time. ... I'm going to be there if need be. Who knows when they'll need me, if they'll need me at all."

DC.com posted an interview with K David Buehler here.

The Tony Romo of old VS the Tony Romo of today.

In four December contests last season, Romo threw five touchdowns and was intercepted six times. Through two games this month, he's thrown five touchdowns without a single interception.

Since his poor outing in Week 2 against the Giants, Romo has thrown 18 touchdowns and just four interceptions while averaging close to 280 passing yards per contest. Friends, that is flat-out elite quarterbacking.

Alex Marvez lists Miles Austin as his third biggest bargain player in the NFL.

Miami and the New York Jets should be kicking themselves. Neither franchise signed Austin to a tender offer as a restricted free agent when he could have potentially been lured away from a Cowboys team with cap challenges. He drew interest from the Jets before they backed off, while a Dolphins front office that comes largely from Dallas should have known Austin was set to blossom in his fourth NFL season. He has already posted career-highs in catches (52), receiving yardage (928) and touchdowns (9) while becoming QB Tony Romo's favorite wide receiver.

Austin is playing under a one-year, $1.545 million contract that would have required any suitor to surrender a second-round draft pick if the Cowboys didn't match a tender offer signed elsewhere. Austin will never come as cheaply again to other NFL teams or, for that matter, the Cowboys.

This is the last week to vote for the Pro Bowl. While DeMarcus Ware looks like a shoe-in, these other Cowboys could use a few more votes.

Sam Hurd is second among special teamers, while Miles Austin and Deon Anderson are third at wide receiver and fullback. Tight end Jason Witten, tackle Flozell Adams, center Andre Gurode, inside linebacker Keith Brooking, kicker Nick Folk and punter Mat McBriar are fourth at their positions. Safeties Ken Hamlin (free) and Gerald Sensabaugh (strong) are fifth.

No sign of nose tackle Jay Ratliff in the defensive tackle race, which is somewhat surprising.

Here's the link to the official Pro Bowl Ballot.

Updating the Pacquiao/Mayweather venue fight.

No definite venue has been agreed upon although reports are that, among those bidding, the MGM Grand in Las Vegas is the frontrunner. Texas' Dallas Cowboys has made a strong $25 million dollar bid to steal it away, but MGM is said to be putting together a deal that will reach over $30 million.

Coach Joe DeCamillis is Cool with Romo Holding

Aaron Novinger — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 23:34:28 -0000

More photos » by Bill Kostroun - AP

Anything else I can do to help, Coach?

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Yes, Tony Romo's old-but-new job as holder is the talk of the town. Special team's coach, Joe DeCamillis, is impressed not only that Romo volunteered for the position, but also at how "smooth" a holder the quarterback actually is.

DeCamillis, who didn't have a lot of options outside of McBriar, was impressed that Romo was willing to offer his services.

"To me, that just shows what a competitor he is and how much he wants to help our team win," said DeCamillis. "He had a bad experience, and he really wants to help us out and help us win games. That's a real pro."

More after the jump.

Todd Archer reports that Romo and Coach Joe D talked about his potentially taking over holding duties on the plane ride home from the Giants' game.

DeCamillis said he studied all of Romo's holds in the 2006 season before they worked on it Wednesday.

"He's very natural with his hands and he's an upright target, so [snapper L.P. Ladouceur] can look back and there's a big target to hit," DeCamillis said.

"He's very smooth and to be honest with you it doesn't shock me one bit but it really was his idea. It wasn't my idea. We talked about it but this shows me what a competitor he is and how much he wants to help the team win because he had a bad experience and he really wants to help us out. That's a real pro to me. That's a huge boost, in my opinion, of him not that he needed one but he got one from me."

Hat tip to Fernie67 for the link.

In injury news today, FS Ken Hamlin (ankle), and TE Martellus Bennett (concussion) were held out of practice again. Both are still looking doubtful for Sunday's game.

The good news is that FB Deon Anderson did return, though he was wearing a sleeve on his knee. His return will be important for the Cowboys' heavy packages if Bennett does not go.

One other injury note: Terence Newman's knee checked out.

CB Terence Newman underwent an MRI for an undisclosed knee injury he sustained in the 31-24 loss to the Giants. The test came back negative as no structural damage was found. Newman practiced Wednesday and should be ready to play on Sunday against the Chargers.

In Coach Phillips' presser today, he was adament that rookie TE John Phillips will be ready for an increased role. The mood surrounding Bennett's concussion lightened when Coach was asked about if he had seen a specialist yet.

"Oh, he's already done that," Phillips said. "Of course, we kid him obviously...the old joke, you know. X-rayed his head and they didn't find anything."

Judging by the laughter in the room and the smile on Phillips' face, Bennett's absence this week seems precautionary and in line with the league's trend of protecting concussed players from returning too soon.

Speaking of Coach Phillips, not all Cowboys' fans love him, but the players do - even those who play for the Chargers.

Phillips, the San Diego defensive coordinator before taking the Cowboys job in 2007, is getting nothing but love and respect from his former players.

"I love Wade. Love and respect," said Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman, who echoed sentiments of a number of his teammates to the media earlier this week.

Cowboys Injury Update...and is Romo the New Holder?

Aaron Novinger — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 04:03:07 -0000

Wednesday's practice showcased quite the surprise on special teams. Don't look now, but Tony Romo could be the Cowboys' new holder come Sunday.

Hat tip to what_the_crap for the FanPost.

From Nick Eatman:

Although head coach Wade Phillips joked that it would be a "game-time decision" to have Romo take over the duties, he all but pegged the quarterback for his new role.

"We let him hold today quite a bit to see how he did," Phillips said. "And (special teams coach Joe DeCamillis) was very impressed. We felt like he would be. Tony is a pretty good holder."

Make the jump for Wednesday's injury update.

The Dallas injury list has grown with the addition of TE Martellus Bennett's concussion suffered in the Giants' game, and both FB Deon Anderson and CB Terence Newman have soreness in their knees.

FS Ken Hamlin also did not practice today because of his high ankle sprain, which makes it doubtful he will return in time to take on the Chargers.

From the ESPNDallas blog:

As for the injuries, Phillips didn't think safety Ken Hamlin (ankle) would return for Sunday's game against the Chargers. Fullback Deon Anderson (knee) could practice tomorrow.

As for backup tight end Martellus Bennett (concussion), things are little uncertain, though Phillips was hopeful the second-year man from Texas A&M might practice.

But, Bennett was having some physical problems. He hurt a shin in the Giants game, and then suffered a concussion somehow.

"He came in and said he was kinda foggy and his eyes hurting," Phillips said.

David Hawthorne: Pretty Boy-seeking Missile

John Morgan — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 21:14:04 -0000

More photos » by LM Otero - AP

Jordan Babineaux showed great spacing by consistently hitting his man before the first down marker. Felix Jones was able to spin through for the first.

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Today I finish up with last weekend's game notes. I rewatched the second quarter last night and I had an absolute blast. Here are my notes and highlights.

We left off with Seattle pulling close on one of those Greg Knapp third-down deep passes that drive folks crazy. A block in the back penalty would pin Dallas at their eight to start the next drive. Things looked up. Seattle needed its defense to hold field position and get Matt Hasselbeck the ball back.

Miles Austin responded with a beautiful catch on the right sideline. He was double covered and reached out nearly out of bounds to grab the ball. It's worth noting that Austin looked every bit the real deal, exploding out of the blocks and running tight routes.

That got Dallas out of jail. On the next play, Dallas pulled out its left side and directed fullback Deon Anderson at right end Darryl Tapp. Tapp has to win this, but doesn't and that allows Felix Jones a clean release through the hole -- Flozell Adams and Kyle Kosier blocking into the second level. Adams destroyed Aaron Curry and Jones was picked his way towards the third level. Jordan Babineaux hit him before the marker but Jones twisted for the first. It could have been worse. It should have been worse.

Brandon Mebane pressured up the middle and Leroy Hill was in position and aware of the pass on a high floater that overshot Martellus Bennett.

Dallas again targeted the Seahawks right side and doubled to stampede through Colin Cole. Deon Grant was controlling the right end and made contact with Jones at the line, but Jones spun right through Grant's tackle and reminded me again why I've stumped so vehemently for him to be positioned at free safety. Ken Lucas made a saving tackle that forced third down after a gain of nine.

Marion Barber converted the first. He was the up back.

Seattle overloads the right and Curry comes free around right end forcing Tony Romo up into the pocket. Seattle struggled with getting edge rush but failing to establish interior pressure, but this time Red Bryant plows through the right guard and forces and incomplete pass. Babineaux can be seen covering Jason Witten streaking up the right hash mark. However Seattle did it, the Seahawks shut down Witten.

Well, mostly. Patrick Kerney was taken down and that tripped Bryant and eliminated much of Seattle's rush. Cory Redding got a parting shot, but the pass was accurate and Witten received for 18.

David Hawthorne is an excellent blitzer, a stand out blitzer from the mike position. Seattle dropped its right end and overloaded the offensive right, but it wasn't a team effort that felled Romo. The goal was to free Hawthorne. Curry and Redding attempted to engage and force the Cowboy interior offensive line left. That plan was for Hawthorne to rush unabated between right guard and right tackle. Instead, Marc Colombo was squatting in Hawthorne's rush lane and Heater had to power through the giant right tackle to sack Romo. He did. That is a big league sack and Heater a major addition to Seattle's pass rush.

Romo scrambled for ten to put Dallas back into a manageable third down. Nick Reed was pwned.

The drive concluded when Lawrence Jackson pressured Romo and forced an incomplete attempt to Patrick Crayton. The resulting missed field goal put Seattle in business at their 38. Grand opening. Grand closing.

The VRR: Cowboys Will Take a Team-First Approach into Philadelphia

Aaron Novinger — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 19:51:50 -0000

More photos » by LM Otero - AP

Working as a team has helped Dallas develop the potential of some of their rising stars, such as WR Miles Austin and TE Martellus Bennett.

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The numbers 44-6 still have a sting to them, but this Dallas team is different from the last one that management fielded against the Eagles.

"That was a low point that everybody still tastes, everybody remembers," Jerry Jones said Sunday evening. "We brought it on ourselves, more so than anything else, and we’ll remember that as we go back up and play in a similar situation."

While the Cowboys seem to be benefiting from a growing team chemistry, they are also much healthier going into this game.

Some things are clearly different now, such as Miles Austin. The only time he touched the ball against the Eagles was on kickoff returns. That night, at least, there were a lot of them.

"We have a lot of other new faces here," Jones countered. "Just add them up." He chose to add up faces that have healed. "I think Romo is healthier and better than he was against Philadelphia," Jones said. "I think Marion Barber is healthier. I think Felix Jones is healthier."

Romo’s thumb had mostly healed by late December, but point taken. Barber was bothered at the end of last season by a sore toe, and he carried only three times in the finale against the Eagles. Felix was out.

More VRR after the jump.

The Eagles, though, have attained some new weapons for themselves - particularly on offense.

As if one outstanding dual-purpose running back wasn’t enough in Brian Westbrook, Philadelphia added second-round pick LeSean McCoy (294 yards, 4.2 average). McNabb has a dependable target in tight end Brent Celek (37 catches), but wideouts DeSean Jackson and rookie Jeremy Maclin worry Dallas the most. Jackson has five TDs this season (three receiving, one punt return and one rushing) that have covered 50-plus yards. Dallas coach Wade Phillips was asked how he plans to contain Jackson.

"Help, help," Phillips said. "You got to get some help on him. They know that. We know that. You get a guy like that who makes a lot of big plays, you’ve got to have somebody else looking for him other than a corner."

It's no secret that the Eagles WR DeSean Jackson is their most dynamic player. I'm not so sure Dallas will just stick one guy on him, as this article suggests.

Who has to stop him? Terence Newman followed Steve Smith all over the field when the Cowboys played Carolina and limited him to four catches for 38 yards. Newman could draw Jackson this week. Newman has a team-high three forced fumbles this season.

Newman took the team-first approach in addressing the subject of him covering Jackson.

"I don’t know. You’ll have to ask the coaches. I’ll do whatever they tell me to do," Newman said when asked about the possibility. The cornerback also said he has no preference when the coaches notify him of the plan. "It doesn’t matter. You just go out and play. If that’s something they want me to do, I’ll definitely do it."

Matt Mosely on Jackson.

One longtime NFC pro personnel scout told me recently that it's Jackson's ability to stutter-step and then be at full speed within about four strides that separates him from most receivers in the league. Asked recently if he'd coached a weapon as potent as Jackson, Eagles coach Andy Reid referenced Terrell Owens and Brian Westbrook. But he quickly returned to Jackson.

The Cowboys have yet to be fooled by the Wildcat this year. With Michael Vick coming in at times for the Eagles, the Dallas defense must still be aware of how well Philly uses the formation.

According to stats compiled by Paul Domowitch of the Philadelphia Daily News, the Eagles have rushed for 163 yards on 40 carries out of the Wildcat. They have rushed for 639 yards on 127 carries out of their standard sets. Vick has rushed for 26 yards on 10 carries out of the Wildcat.

Brian Westbrook will play on Sunday night.

Coach Andy Reid made the announcement on Wednesday afternoon that barring any setbacks in practice, his starting running back is good to go for Dallas.

JJT and Geoff Mosher go over both teams' keys for success, and predict a 24-17 Eagles victory.

BGN previews the game here.

Wouldn't it be great if Patrick Crayton could seal another victory via punt return?

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, no professional player has ever returned a punt for a touchdown in three consecutive games.

The ST coverage units have been consistently tackling returners all season. Nick Eatman notes how competitive the special teamers' numbers are.

Checking out the special teams tackles, there’s a competition brewing for the team lead with three guys tied with 12 tackles. Alan Ball, Patrick Watkins and Sam Hurd each have a dozen stops while covering kicks, and watch out for rookie Victor Butler, who is right there with 11. Deon Anderson and Steve Octavien each have seven each.

Coach Phillips is having fun working with this group of Cowboys. With each week, the team grows more into its "blue-collar" mentality.

"They are hard workers, and we have a lot of guys that play a role," Phillips said. "Whatever it is, they accept it, and they try to do really well at their role. So I think that's a good sign for our team."

Phillips has coached plenty of stars, including hall of famers John Elway, Bruce Smith and Jim Kelly. While he enjoyed them all, he's clearly having plenty of fun guiding a team that lacks a bona fide superstar.

"It's fun to have guys that are not big ego guys and are very team-oriented," Phillips said. "... This is a good group to coach. They do what you ask, and that's what you want as a coach. If you emphasize something or if you are quote on them about something, they try to do better. That's what you ask."

Team play is emphasized at every turn. In Sunday's 38-17 win over Seattle, Romo completed passes to 10 different targets, and five different players scored touchdowns. Afterward, nobody complained about not getting the ball enough.

Doug Free's play last week was encouraging for the coaches. Is this something we can expect more of?

At some point, the Cowboys have to find out what they have in the 25-year-old Free. They've tried to replace Adams, 34, the last few years but draft picks Pat McQuistan and James Marten, who's no longer with the team, haven't panned out. Meanwhile, Free has emerged as the backup to Adams.

"I think it's important for us. That's why we played him some," coach Wade Phillips said of Free. "I just think if a guy ... if he practices good enough and is good enough to play, then he deserves to get in the game sometimes. It helps his attitude and the confidence in the team in that guy when they see him do some good things."

Evidently, Miles Austin did get a tad banged up in the Seattle game, but nothing worrisome.

Receiver Miles Austin emerged with a sore groin, but that is not expected to limit his participation in practice.

It's doubtful we will see Austin's name on the injury report this week.

Either way, it doesn't look like Austin will be bothered by the groin this week. It didn't sound like an issue at all on Wednesday.

"It's alright, yeah," the receiver said.

The Dallas defeat of Seattle led to some big changes up in the Pacific Northwest.

Head coach Jim Mora Jr. reportedly ripped into his team following the team's 38-17 loss to the Dallas Cowboys this past Sunday and chose words that intimated changes could be on the horizon for 2-5 Seattle. Cornerback Travis Fisher, who had five tackles in four games this season, was released Monday -- joined by (Edgerrin) James and safety C.J. Wallace a day later. Wallace made three stops in five games prior to his release Tuesday.

While broadcasting a Chargers game in 2002, Troy Aikman received a call from Andy Reid. Apparently, Reid wanted Aikman to come out of retirement to fill in for Donovan McNabb, who had just broken his ankle.

"Andy was giving me all the reasons why this would be good, why this would work," said Aikman, who was 35 at the time and had retired from the Cowboys after winning three Super Bowls in large part because of concussion problems.

The Philadelphia situation was all happening too fast for Aikman, who explained to Reid he was in the middle of a broadcast and promised to call after the game. Aikman had plenty of time to chat too, because he and his wife were driving from San Diego to their home in Santa Barbara for a mini-vacation. When Aikman dialed back Reid, the quarterback said he wanted to sleep on the decision but promised to call the coach the next day. By the time he reached Santa Barbara, Aikman had a pretty good idea which way he was leaning.

"So I went to bed that night and said, 'I can wake up tomorrow and spend a nice couple of days in Santa Barbara. Or, I can be in frigid Philadelphia getting my brains kicked in,' " he said. The next day, he called Reid and politely declined the offer.

Dancing With the Stars says, "you are the weakest link, goodbye" to Michael Irvin.

Irvin says that he recently offered advice to both Roy Williams and Miles Austin. Austin seemed the more receptive.

Ostensibly, Irvin stressed the importance of knowing the snap count and getting off the line; according to Irvin, Austin's receptiveness, and Williams disregard, was evident last Sunday against Seattle. On one play, Irvin said, Austin was four yards ahead of Williams after 12 yards, indicating that the former got off the line quicker and, presumably, did so at least in part due to the Hall of Famer's advice.

Put this in your backpocket for some offseason Cowboys-related reality TV.

When Free Reign -- the metal rock band featuring Dallas Cowboys Marc Colombo, Leonard Davis and Cory Procter -- joins WWEer Chris Jericho's Fozzy in a spring tour to promote Free Reign's new CD, "Tragedy," you can follow from your couch. Production house Go Go Luckey! ("Laguna Beach") will film for a reality series it'll soon shop to various networks.

BTB Game Balls: Giants @ Cowboys

Aaron Novinger — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 18:30:17 -0000

More photos » by LM Otero - AP

Dallas Cowboys running back Marion Barber did all he could to grab himself a BTB game ball for his Week Two performance.

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NFL Week Two is officially over. It's time to hand out the BTB game balls for the Cowboys' game against the Giants. Win or lose, each week I will virtually hand off a game ball to one player from each unit: offense, defense, special teams, and the coaching staff.

Offense

Marion Barber - His numbers were impressive: 18 carries for 124 yards and a touchdown. Even more impressive was what he meant to the offense. His vision was amazing. When there was a hole in the middle of the Giants' defensive front, he hit it hard. When the Giants would plug up the middle, he would break outside to take advantage of their lack of containment. His 26-yard reception just before halftime set up Nick Folk's 47-yard field goal.

Barber was the go-to guy Sunday night. Let's hope they let his strained quad heal, so they can get him back at 100%.

Honorable Mention: the Kosier/Cricket/Gurode combo, Felix Jones

Defense

Jay Ratliff - There's really no blocking this guy one-on-one. He's a beast in the middle with a great burst off the snap. Although he did give up some ground to double-teams by center, Shaun O' Hara, and one of the Giants' guards, he would employ an effective spin move to get himself back in the play.

Ratliff only had three tackles, but he clogged things up enough to help the Dallas D hold Brandon Jacobs to just 58 yards on 16 carries - 31 of which came on a play to the outside where DeMarcus Ware lost containment and Terence Newman put a nice hit on Keith Brooking. Without that play...well, you do the math.

Honorable Mention: Anthony Spencer, DeMarcus Ware

Special Teams

Nick Folk - Along with going 4-of-4 on extra points, Folk's 47-yarder just before the half was dead center. He is the kind of kicker that doesn't seem to get rattled. Had he been given a chance to win the game, he would have most likely done just that.

Frankly, this should go to the leader of the special team's units; but, there is a coaching game ball reserved for him.

Honorable Mention: Bobby Carpenter, Deon Anderson

Coaching

Joe DeCamillis - Solid. Sure, McBriar averaged a net of 43.5 yards on his punts, and Buehler kicked half of his six kickoffs in the end zone, notching one touchback. Those guys, along with Folk, do help. But check out what Coach Joe D's coverage units did against the Giants.

On kick returns, New York averaged just 22 yards with a long of 29. On three punt returns, they turned in a measly 13 yards with a long of nine.

I also applaud his decisions on the kickoff return units. Even though Felix fumbled, he stuck with him on the next return. And his creativity on the Miles Austin 29-yard return just before the half was also impressive. He had Sam Hurd and Marvin White loop all the way back from the left side of the field to the right, which timed out well enough to provide lead blocks for Austin.

Honorable Mention: Jason Garrett, Hudson Houck

Who gets your game balls?

The VRR: Scandrick to Start Against 49ers

Aaron Novinger — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 20:00:05 -0000

More photos » by Eric Gay - AP

Orlando Scandrick has yet to disappoint the Cowboys' coaches with his play at cornerback. When the team hosts the 49ers on Saturday, he will be starting the game with the first-team defense.

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Orlando Scandrick will get the nod at right cornerback with the first-team defense this Saturday when the Cowboys host the San Francisco 49ers. The move is considered to be a rotational one that has more to do with getting Scandrick some considerable playing time with the starters rather than Mike Jenkins losing any ground.

Phillips has said he intends to provide equal opportunity for his second-year corners. Jenkins and Scandrick rotated with the first-team defense opposite Terence Newman (when healthy) in training camp, aside from the week Jenkins spent nursing an ankle injury.

Jenkins also tweaked his ankle in the game, but he practiced Monday and is expected to play.

No matter who wins the job, Scandrick will continue moving into the slot in dime situations - a niche he created and thrived as a fifth-round draft pick last season.

Quarterback Stephen McGee is out for 49ers game and may not play the rest of the preseason because of the knee injury he suffered against the Titans. This means Rudy Carpenter should see more action.

More VRR after the jump.

All the Julius Crosslin chatter may not matter much, after all. It looks as if Deon Anderson, who is ahead of schedule recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery, will remain the team's starting fullback.

"There’s no doubt that Deon can play," Wade Phillips said Monday afternoon. "I’m not going to give him a roster spot right here so he won’t do anything from now (until the season), but he’s a good player. He’s a good fullback for us and he’s a very good special teamer, probably our best special teamer coming back.

"We expect good things from him, and he’s a hard worker. He’s come back from injury a lot quicker than normally. He may be back before the Tampa week. He’s a good, solid football player. He’s a very aggressive blocker. He’s the strongest blocker we have at fullback, obviously."

Coach Phillips likes the progress he's seen from rookie inside linebacker Jason Williams.

"A light came on," Wade Phillips said. "I could see it in that game. He played well in that game. I'm looking forward to seeing him more. He practiced good right before the game, practiced good again today. It seems to be coming to him."

Williams and the rest of the rookies are putting the memories of the practice facility collapse behind them as the team returned to Valley Ranch.

Rookie linebacker Jason Williams said, "It's just something we got to push pass. It happen what, like three and half months ago. We can't linger on it too long. We got games we have to get ready to win so we can't think about it too much just got to get out there and play through it."

The Cowboys have yet to hit a deep pass this preseason - Miles Austin's specialty.

"I think there are some shots down the field we haven’t taken yet," Cowboys coach Wade Phillips said. "We’ll see. I think that’s working in players like Miles. That’s what his specialty is going to be somewhat. He’s going to be able to beat people down the field, which we haven’t done as much of that, but I wouldn’t count it out."

The Cowboys had 51 plays of at least 20 yards last season, led by Owens’ 13. Austin had five, and when the Cowboys cut Owens during the off-season, owner Jerry Jones said part of the reason was because of Austin’s big-play potential.

"I mean we have certain plays kind of designed for that," Austin said. "But we’re not pulling out the kitchen sink [in the preseason]. Actually, I think we might have run a couple of double moves, but we’re really not running double moves. We’re really not throwing a lot of other things at them. During the season, we will. Right now, we’re not really game-planning teams. We’re just running plays and trying to execute as well as we can. That’s what’s important."

Like Austin, Kevin Ogletree is trying to make the squad as an undrafted rookie wide receiver. He has certainly made an impression on his teammates and coaches.

"He made a fantastic play on the fade route, catching the ball, keeping his feet inbounds," Phillips said. "He's got talent."

Wide receiver Patrick Crayton agreed. "He makes contested catches," Crayton said. "He's been performing all training camp."

Despite being only the second receiver in Virginia history to tally two 50-catch seasons, Ogletree got bypassed in the draft after scouts questioned his route running, his hands and his decision to leave school early. None of those perceived weaknesses was evident at camp. More importantly, they haven't popped up in the preseason either.

"He's looked good in practice, but making plays in a ballgame is important," Phillips said.

On Saturday, the Dallas defense will face the preseason's leading rusher in the 49ers' Glen Coffee. Coffee, a third-round draft pick from Alabama, carried the rock 16 times for 129 yards against the Raiders on Saturday night.

The 49ers have also named Shaun Hill as the team's starting quarterback.

What should Jerry Jones do about the high-def screens hanging 90 feet above the Cowboys Stadium's field? Ask Mat McBriar. The Cowboys punter isn't all concerned about the giant videoboard needing to be raised.

"Our game plan is to kick to the sidelines. So for myself it's not in my mind," Cowboys punter Mat McBriar said Monday. "I know it's there, obviously. But it's not something that catches my eye as much as guys who are kicking straight down the field."

The band, U2, is going to pay the Cowboys two million dollars to raise the videoboard for their October concert.

Going Back To The Future With the Dallas Cowboys

Carl Shelton (GloryDayz88) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 11:00:16 -0000

More photos » by Tony Gutierrez - AP

Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips instructs one of his quality control coaches at a recent practice. "Great Scott son! Get me some gull-danged plutonium, dad-gummit! It's right over there!"

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As many of you may know, DC.com is running a series on the 50 greatest Cowboys of all time. The countdown currently stands at #15, where DC.com has named wide receiver Drew Pearson as the 15th greatest Cowboy of all time. Reading about all of the Cowboys of old brings back some fond memories, and also invokes a little imagination. As I continue to read through the series, I continue to mull over one question. If I had an ‘85 Delorian, a flux capacitor, and a little plutonium, what former Cowboy would I travel back in time to kidnap and add to the current unit?

Offensively it is easy to go with one of the all-time greats. Sure, any of us would probably love to have Roger Staubach or Troy Aikman to come in and guide the ship. Both are Hall of Fame quarterbacks with Super Bowl rings. But with Tony Romo on board, I personally would not spend my one and only pick on a quarterback, however important the position may be. It is natural to blurt out a name like Drew Pearson, Michael Irvin, Tony Dorsett, or Emmitt Smith. For this particular post, I wanted to dig a little deeper and tag players who would fit need areas for the current Cowboys.

My list is not by any means all-inclusive. There have been too many great Cowboys over the years to include them all, so forgive me if I left out your guy.

Wouldn’t Bob Hayes be the perfect speed complement to Roy Williams? No offense to Miles Austin, but I’d jump at the chance to have the former Olympic 100 meter champion who almost single-handedly changed defensive schematics forever. I know that people don’t initially associate the name Raghib Ismail with the Dallas Cowboys, but the guy put up some respectable numbers when he was here. Ismail would be an awesome fit with today’s Cowboys because he has a skill set that no other current Cowboy receiver has. Ismail is the smaller, shiftier, deep threat type who was great after the catch, and would also be a great help on returns.

If I could fit a '96 Larry Allen into my ‘85 Delorian, he just might be the guy to grab. The still-ailing Kyle Kosier and the questionably-motivated Montrae Holland are currently scrapping for the starting left guard position. A young Larry Allen would be a huge (no pun intended) addition to the Cowboys line. Could you imagine the sheer girth the Cowboys would have on the interior with Allen, Andre Gurode and Leonard Davis all inside? Frightening.

It would be nice to have the Moose back. I love the Cricket (Deon Anderson) but Daryl Johnston is one of the greatest blocking fullbacks of all-time… Does anyone else think as highly of Kelvin Martin as I do? I always thought Martin was fantastic slot receiver, and was likely skilled enough to wrestle the job away from Patrick Crayton… I don’t see running back as a need area for the current Cowboys. I love Marion Barber, Felix Jones, and Tashard Choice, but I would probably take the Minnesota Vikings route and trade all three of them for Herschel Walker. I know Emmitt Smith and Tony Dorsett are among the all-time greats, but Herschel Walker was a once in a lifetime talent. I would love to see how great Walker could be surrounded by the current Cowboys’ cache of offensive weaponry.

Defensively, guys like Deion Sanders, Randy White, Bob Lilly and Chuck Howley are no-brainers. But again, let’s dig just a bit deeper.

Chuck Howley was probably the greatest Cowboy linebacker of all time, but he would have probably played the same position as Bradie James. I am in no way insinuating that Bradie James is better than Chuck Howley. I’m just saying that James is solid, and I would rather let him stay put, and pair him with Thomas "Hollywood" Henderson. Henderson was the rangy, athletic linebacker that is the perfect fit for the weak inside spot in a Wade Phillips defense. Henderson’s athleticism would be the perfect complement to James’ nastiness.

Want to improve the already scary Cowboys pass rush? How about a pair of #94’s screaming off the edges playing ‘meet you at the quarterback?’ A young Charles Haley was easily athletic enough to stand up in a 3-4, and if memory serves me correctly, i think he did a bit of that in his San Francisco days. Ware and Haley together would be unblockable.

Another former Cowboy who could possibly benefit from a position change with today’s squad would be Leon Lett. A tackle in his Cowboy days, Lett’s size, strength, long arms, and inside rush skills would make him the perfect penetrating 5-technique end for Wade Phillips’ scheme… I like Ken Hamlin and Gerald Sensabaugh, but there are no less than four former Cowboys safeties who could probably force either of them to the bench. Darren Woodson, Cliff Harris, Charlie Waters, Mel Renfro. Take your pick…With Keith Davis gone, how about bringing back Kenny Gant or Billy Davis to bolster the special teams units?

Again, this post was purely intended for fun. I could go on and on for days about the Cowboys of old. The guys I mentioned are just a few of my own personal favorites. So, if you could go back in time to grab any player who has ever sported the star on his helmet (at his best), and add him to today's roster who would it be?